Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins are made with better-for-you ingredients!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
These muffins are amazing! They call for healthier ingredients and require very little sugar, compared with most muffins (like these Chocolate Muffins!). Plus, there is no wheat flour used. If you’re gluten intolerant, you’ll appreciate the absence of wheat flour!
One of my favorite things about these muffins is that there are no strange ingredients that you probably wouldn’t have on hand or know exactly where they are in your grocery store. Often, healthy muffin recipes call for specialty flours, oil, or sweeteners, and my goal is to use easily accessible mainstream ingredients. And — of course — at no sacrifice to flavor!
I mentioned that Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins are flourless; instead of using white flour, or even whole wheat flour, we use oats. The oats are blended into a powdery oat flour. No need to buy this from the store, since it literally takes seconds to make at home.
How to make oat “flour”
- Place old-fashioned or quick oats in a food processor or small blender jar.
- Pulse the oats until they are ground into a powder-like consistency that resembles flour (see photo above on the right).
- Stir the oats around to be sure that all the oats have been finely ground.
- Measure the oat flour for these muffins after it’s been turned to flour and not in the original whole oat form. Two tablespoons isn’t a lot, but contributes to the overall stability and flavor of these muffins.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffin ingredients
- Cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa powder, not a Dutch-process cocoa powder. I’ve tested these muffins with Dutch-process cocoa powder, and it does not work in these muffins!
- Oat flour. More on this in the section above.
- Baking soda, baking powder, salt. These baking agents help ensure a nice crumb and rise. Here’s how to make sure your baking soda and powder are fresh.
- Creamy peanut butter. Make sure to use creamy, not chunky, peanut butter in these muffins. If using natural peanut butter, be sure it is well mixed and incorporated (not separated or overly oily) before adding.
- Unsweetened applesauce. If using sweetened applesauce, you’ll want to reduce the amount of brown sugar.
- Vanilla Greek yogurt. Our favorite yogurt to use in these muffins is Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt (made by Greek Gods® — not sponsored). Whatever yogurt you choose to use, make sure you like it plain or you likely won’t love it in these muffins.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla adds a nice flavor to the muffins. It’s not entirely necessary, so don’t worry if you don’t have any to add.
- Brown sugar. This recipe only uses 2 tablespoons, but if you aren’t used to healthier baked goods, you may want to increase the brown sugar to 4 tablespoons.
- Honey. This natural sweetener adds additional sweetness. The reason we use part honey and part brown sugar is because too much honey makes these muffins too moist.
- Egg. These muffins need one large egg; I have not personally tested using egg alternatives.
- Dark chocolate chips: To keep these Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins more on the nutritious side, we’re using dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has essential fats your body needs and is a powerful source of antioxidants. (Source.)
Quick Tip
If you are eating a gluten-free diet, these muffins are a great addition! While no gluten is added to this recipe, be careful to read the labels on the baking products you buy. Some contain gluten where you wouldn’t expect it, and others are made in a facility with gluten and may be exposed to cross-contamination with gluten products.
Tips
- Generously grease the muffin tin. I don’t recommend muffin liners in this recipe; the batter sticks to the liners. Make sure to really grease the cavities well. Of course, a good muffin tin also makes a world of difference. These tins are my absolute favorite, and I’ve never had a problem with these muffins not releasing nicely.
- Add a few dark chocolate chips on top. I like to add three or four extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin before putting them into the oven. Not only does this make the tops look nicer, it also ensures there is a chocolate chip in every bite!
More healthy baked goods
- Healthy Zucchini Bread with Greek yogurt
- Gluten-Free Apple Muffins with almond butter
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with dark chocolate chips
- Peanut Butter Granola with coconut
- Healthy Banana Muffins with Greek yogurt
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons oat flour see note 1
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce see note 2
- 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg
- 5 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350โ. Generously spray 8 of the muffin pan cavities with cooking spray, but don't use muffin liners!
- In a large bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, oat flour (see note 1), baking soda, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
- In a separate bowl, combine the peanut butter, applesauce, Greek yogurt, vanilla, honey, and egg. Mix until completely combined.
- Add dry ingredients on top of wet and chocolate chips on top of that. Stir until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared muffin tin. If desired, top each muffin with a few more chocolate chips.
- Bake for 18โ22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool in the muffin tin for 2โ4 minutes and then gently coax out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these today. Unfortunately I didn’t have any yogurt so I had to use all applesauce. I think they’d be better with the yogurt. They seem to be missing something. Not overly sweet and very strong peanut butter flavour, which is fine when you like peanut butter, which I do ?. I only got 8 tho, didn’t seem like enough batter for 9. I will try them again with the yogurt.
Thanks for the comment Cindy! ๐ Hope you love them the next time with yogurt!
I made them again yesterday and used yogurt. It did make a difference. They have a nicer flavour. But both times they didn’t rise at all, in fact they kind of sink a little in the middle.
Is there any way to post a pic here to show you?
They don’t rise a whole ton (if you notice my pictures and video, the muffins have a pretty flat (not rounded) top)! But it could be your altitude or that you aren’t baking them long enough (oven temperatures can often differ); you might could try baking them a little longer or adding an extra tablespoon or two of oat flour. Unfortunately you can’t add a photo to this comment; I wish you could!
Looks fantastic! Definitely trying these this week. Out of curiosity, has anyone got any recommendations for substituting the egg? I know there’s lots of options out there but wondering if there’s any best option or if it wouldn’t work out after all. My sister in law is vegan and I’m always looking for ways to include her in my baking!
These were very good, but they did not come out with the hooey looking center.
Any idea why? I did use more mini chocolate chips, maybe that’s why!
Hey Joan! It could be the chocolate chips but also the baking time. Maybe try pulling them out a couple minutes sooner next time for a gooier center ๐
Can I sub coconut or almond flour for the oat flour ?
I’ve never tried either of those flours in these muffins, so I can’t say for sure, but I think the almond flour would work best as a substitute.
These are in my oven at the moment. Can’t wait to try them when they get out they were super easy to make! I did substitute the old flower for my protein powder since I am always looking for a way to get protein into things but the consistency seemed perfect for a match so we’ll see !! ?
Hope you loved them! ๐
Do you know the nutritional value? Such as calories and fat?
I don’t have nutrition facts on all of my recipes (yet!) so I’d recommend using My Fitness Pal in the meantime ๐
I have silicon cupcake “liners” – anybody tried these? How did they turn out? Thanks!
These sound so amazing do you have the Nutritional facts?
Thank you for a simple, healthy, quick and yummy chocolate treat! I made these on a Friday after having one of those weeks. It was a much better option than going to the grocery store and buying something that would be loaded with calories and I would end up regretting. New to your website and loving it, thanks!
I’m so happy you enjoyed these. I hope you absolutely love whatever you try next ๐
Do these make mini or regular sized muffins?
Regular ๐